Max henry caspar



Nv- 622,6- Patented Mar. 2a, |399.

M. H. CASPABI.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

' (Appliemon med Feb. es, 159s.)

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES TN: Nonms Pains co'.. EHoToLITHo. wAsmNmcN, D c.

MAX HENRY CASPARI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,1 1e, dated March'28, 189e'.

Application tiled February 25, 1898. Serial No. 671,613. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, MAX HENRY CAsPARI, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, at present residing in the city of New York, borough ofManhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented a new. and Ilnproved Electric Switch, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in electric switches or circuitmaking and breaking devices, having for its object the maintcnance of aclean contact-surface between the two parts of the switch; and theinvention comprises certain novel constructions, which will behereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis a cross-sectional elevation of one form of my device. Fig. 2is a partial sectional plan view of a slightly-modified con'- struction,and Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevation of the same on the line 3 3in Fig. 2.

The switch consists, essentially, of a chamber having attached theretothe two poles or binding-posts for the circuit-wires, said binding-postsbeing insulated from each other` and being placed at differentelevations, said chamber containing a quantity of mercury,

' which normally will dow to a portion of said chamber, which latter maybe raised or lowered, so as to cause the mercury to cover one or both ofthe poles, and thus make the contact.

In Fig. l' the main portion of the chamber is represented by a hollowcasing B, which is preferably made of metal and is provided with aiiange b or any other suitable means by which it may be secured to theswitchboard A. The casin g Bis provided at one end with a binding-postD', connected directly to the body of the casing, and with a secondbinding-post D, which is supported in an insulatingdisk J, which closesone end of the casing. By this means the binding-postD is no rmallyinsulated from the casing, and consequently from the other binding-postD.

In the form shown in Fig. l the other end of the casing B is connectedwith a flexible extension C, said extension being formed of rubber,leather, or any other suitable iiexible material and secured to thecasing by means of a collar F. This flexible extension is preferablyprovided with a spirally-coiled wire E, placed within the same andserving to maintain the circular form of said extension. W'ithin theextension C is placed a quantity of mercury K, which is sufficient inamount to risel nearly to the level of the lower surface of the mainpart of the casing B. Normally the extension will assume the positionillustrated in full lines in Fig. l, in which it is shown as droppeddownward, the level of the mercury being just below the lower surface ofthe casing B. The rear end of said extension may be provided with an eyeC2 to receive a cord or other device for raising the same. When theextension C is elevated, the mercury will flow into the body of thecasing B and will rise to such a height as to immerse both of thebinding-posts and close the circuit. When the extension C is allowed todrop, the mercury will flow back and break the circuit.

A slight modilication in construction, although involving the sameprinciple, is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this form the casing B isprovided with a hollow extension C', provided at one end with alaterally-extending tube G, having an aperture I therein, said tubebeing adapted to enter an opening in the side of the casing B and form atight joint therewith at Gf. Through the casing B and extension C ispassed a bolt H, which holds the casing and extension together, so as toprevent their separation and the consequent leakage of the mercury K,contained in the extension C'. Normally the extension will drop downinto the position shown in Fig. 3 and the mercury K will fall below thelevel of the binding-post D. When the extension C is elevated, themercury will flow forward into the casing B and cover both bindingposts.It will be seen that the principle involved in the two constructionsdescribed is identical, one form having a lleXible extension and theother a hinged extension.

The form of switch herein shown and described may be used for currentsof any potential and quantity by making the bindingposts of suitablesize. These posts may be indefinitely increased in siaeA By using copperbinding-posts the mercury will form an IOO amalgam therewith and thecontact will be maintained clean and bright. Being proteeted from theair there will be no possibility of corroding the surfaces anddestroying their efcieney. The rearward extension C will be made of aninsulating material in those cases where it is to be operated directlyby the hand of the operator. In other cases it may be made of metal.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. An electric switeli,eomp1'ising ahorizontally-disposed casing, a line-terminal passing through the lowerpart of the casing, a second insulated terminal entering the casing at ahigher elevation than the first one, and an extension of the easinghinged thereto and adapted to be raised above or also below the l maincasing, the two being connected through 2o through the hinge whereby themercury may,

by raising or lowering the extension, be made to flow into the casing orextension at will.

MAX HENRY CASPARI.

Witnesses i A. REYMOND, E. KAISERi

